Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> stock options expiring on Thursday, February 27, show a concentration of approximately 40,000 open contracts at the 500 strike price, currently at the money. 
</li>
<li>The open interest at the 500 strike may increase volatility and trading activity near expiry if the stock price hovers around 500, possibly leading to amplified intraday price swings.</li>
<li>At the last monthly expiry in January the stock experienced intraday price swings of 2.5%.</li>
</ul>



Tencent (700 HK) stock options expiring on Thursday, February 27, show a concentration of approximately 40,000 open contracts at the 500 strike price, currently at the money. 

The open interest at the 500 strike may increase volatility and trading activity near expiry if the stock price hovers around 500, possibly leading to amplified intraday price swings.
At the last monthly expiry in January the stock experienced intraday price swings of 2.5%.


Tencent - 27 Feb Options Expiry: Potentially Volatile Session Due to 500 Strike Open Interest

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>This Insight analyses <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a>tailor-made option strategies traded over the last five trading days on the Hong Kong Exchange. Strategy highlights and volatility context are provided.</li>
<li>These traders tailor structures to risk budgets and take calculated bets. Diagonal call spreads are popular, many self-financing (0% premium). This strategy can play the 18 March earnings date.
</li>
<li>Call spreads can indicate where bullish traders see limits to the upside. The most bullish trade suggests a peak of up to 710 HKD by the end of March.</li>
</ul>


This Insight analyses Tencent (700 HK)tailor-made option strategies traded over the last five trading days on the Hong Kong Exchange. Strategy highlights and volatility context are provided.
These traders tailor structures to risk budgets and take calculated bets. Diagonal call spreads are popular, many self-financing (0% premium). This strategy can play the 18 March earnings date.

Call spreads can indicate where bullish traders see limits to the upside. The most bullish trade suggests a peak of up to 710 HKD by the end of March.


Tencent (700 HK): Top Trades: Strategies That Stand Out

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zto-express-cayman-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33488:1" rel="noopener">ZTO Express Cayman (2057 HK)</a> will be added to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-china-enterprises-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22900:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX)</a> next week and to a global index couple of weeks after that.</li>
<li>Despite passives needing to buy more than 5% of float inside a month, the stock has barely budged in a rallying China market.</li>
<li>The increase in cumulative excess volume has been very gradual, indicative of low positioning in the stock. With a lot to buy over the next few weeks, that could change.</li>
</ul>



ZTO Express Cayman (2057 HK) will be added to the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX) next week and to a global index couple of weeks after that.
Despite passives needing to buy more than 5% of float inside a month, the stock has barely budged in a rallying China market.
The increase in cumulative excess volume has been very gradual, indicative of low positioning in the stock. With a lot to buy over the next few weeks, that could change.


ZTO Express (2057 HK): Not Delivering Despite Double Index Inclusion

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Our long-term outlook remains bullish as long as the S&amp;P 500 remains above 5770-5850 and 5600-5670 (worst case), and we are buyers at these levels.</li>
<li>With that said, we see potential for near-term downside based on several developments discussed below.  It likely means at least another 2-4 weeks of consolidation</li>
<li>If SPX remains below 6100 and 6150 resistances, do not be surprised if there is a test of the bottom of the range at either 5770-5850 or 5600-5670</li>
</ul>


Our long-term outlook remains bullish as long as the S&amp;P 500 remains above 5770-5850 and 5600-5670 (worst case), and we are buyers at these levels.
With that said, we see potential for near-term downside based on several developments discussed below.  It likely means at least another 2-4 weeks of consolidation
If SPX remains below 6100 and 6150 resistances, do not be surprised if there is a test of the bottom of the range at either 5770-5850 or 5600-5670


Near-Term Downside Likely Following False Breakouts; Targeting 5770-5850; Long-Term Still Bullish

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>The United States' tariff against Mexico and Canada, effective March 4, 2025, could disrupt global markets, with potential volatility spikes similar to early February's events.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-asx-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22901:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P/ASX 200</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ftse-100-index-ukx" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22904:1" rel="noopener">FTSE 100</a>: low implied volatility offers opportunities for protective puts, </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225</a>: an volatility premium suggests a relative value volatility arbitrage play. </li>
</ul>


The United States' tariff against Mexico and Canada, effective March 4, 2025, could disrupt global markets, with potential volatility spikes similar to early February's events.

S&amp;P/ASX 200 and FTSE 100: low implied volatility offers opportunities for protective puts, 

KOSPI 200 and Nikkei 225: an volatility premium suggests a relative value volatility arbitrage play. 


Global Option Implied Volatility - Opportunities in S&P/ASX 200, KOSPI 200, Nikkei 225, FTSE 100.

Hong Kong

The Hang Seng Index is a free-float capitalization-weighted index of a selection of companies from the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The components of the index are divided into four subindices: Commerce and Industry, Finance, Utilities, and Properties. The index was developed with a base level of 100 as of July 31, 1964.

Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)

Tencent - 27 Feb Options Expiry: Potentially Volatile Session Due to 500 Strike Open Interest

Tencent (700 HK) stock options expiring 27 Feb show a concentration of open contracts at the 500 strike price, potentially leading to increased...

Gaudenz Schneider

Tencent (700 HK): Top Trades: Strategies That Stand Out

Analysis of option strategies for Tencent (700 HK) on the Hong Kong Exchange in the context of upcoming earnings. Bullish traders eyeing a...

Gaudenz Schneider

ZTO Express (2057 HK): Not Delivering Despite Double Index Inclusion

ZTO Express is an inclusion to the HSCEI and a global index. Passive trackers will buy over 5% of float. Short interest has jumped, and the stock...

Brian Freitas

Near-Term Downside Likely Following False Breakouts; Targeting 5770-5850; Long-Term Still Bullish

Near-Term Downside Likely After False Breakouts $SPX $QQQ; Long-Term Still Bullish; Major Tops on $DXY, 10-Year Treasury Yield. If < 6100 and 6150...

Vermilion Research

Global Option Implied Volatility - Opportunities in S&P/ASX 200, KOSPI 200, Nikkei 225, FTSE 100.

US tariffs on Mexico and Canada effective 4 March as a potentially adverse market event. S&P/ASX 200 and FTSE 100 offer protective put opportunities.

Gaudenz Schneider

Tencent - 27 Feb Options Expiry: Potentially Volatile Session Due to 500 Strike Open Interest

​Tencent (700 HK) stock options expiring 27 Feb show a concentration of open contracts at the 500 strike price, potentially leading to increased...

Gaudenz Schneider

Tencent (700 HK): Top Trades: Strategies That Stand Out

​Analysis of option strategies for Tencent (700 HK) on the Hong Kong Exchange in the context of upcoming earnings. Bullish traders eyeing a...

Gaudenz Schneider

ZTO Express (2057 HK): Not Delivering Despite Double Index Inclusion

ZTO Express is an inclusion to the HSCEI and a global index. Passive trackers will buy over 5% of float. Short interest has jumped, and the stock...

Brian Freitas

Near-Term Downside Likely Following False Breakouts; Targeting 5770-5850; Long-Term Still Bullish

Near-Term Downside Likely After False Breakouts $SPX $QQQ; Long-Term Still Bullish; Major Tops on $DXY, 10-Year Treasury Yield. If < 6100 and 6150...

Vermilion Research

Global Option Implied Volatility - Opportunities in S&P/ASX 200, KOSPI 200, Nikkei 225, FTSE 100.

​US tariffs on Mexico and Canada effective 4 March as a potentially adverse market event. S&P/ASX 200 and FTSE 100 offer protective put opportunities.

Gaudenz Schneider

Tencent (700 HK) stock options expiring 27 Feb show a concentration of open contracts at the 500 strike price, potentially leading to increased...

Analysis of option strategies for Tencent (700 HK) on the Hong Kong Exchange in the context of upcoming earnings. Bullish traders eyeing a...

US tariffs on Mexico and Canada effective 4 March as a potentially adverse market event. S&P/ASX 200 and FTSE 100 offer protective put opportunities.